


The Rangers' Questions - Lullaby

by Endaewen



Series: Poems [3]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, Poetry, Rangers, history in song form
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2019-12-06
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:15:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21697555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Endaewen/pseuds/Endaewen
Summary: Questions through the Ages in song form.
Series: Poems [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1564003
Kudos: 1





	The Rangers' Questions - Lullaby

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to FF.N in 2008.

** The Rangers' Questions - Lullaby **

Down through the years

my sons ask the same questions.

Learning our long history.

Wondering about their future.

The years pass, but the questions remain

_ Where is my father? _ I see him so little.

He asks his mother. I wish I could tell him,

but he is too young. This is the hardest question.

His father is out a wandering. Will I see him again?

I do not know. Each time he returns could be the last.

And I would never know his fate.

There are too many dangers in the Wild.

Down through the years

my sons ask the same questions.

Learning our long history.

Wondering about their future.

The years pass, but the questions remain

_ Who are we? _ A village of women and children,

few men to be seen?

I tell him of our history, our long, proud past.

The duties we have taken on,

protecting the people of our old realm, unknowing.

Fewer and fewer there are, but still we fight

against the orcs, the trolls and the other enemies.

Down through the years

my sons ask the same questions.

Learning our long history.

Wondering about their future.

The years pass, but the questions remain

_ Where did we come from? _

So scattered now, hidden wanderers.

As he grows, he'll learn of the great deeds

of the earlier Ages, of Numenor and ruined Arnor,

vanished into the grass.

Of Gondor, still fighting strong on the borders of

the Enemy's land. It is a strong and proud history.

History that shapes us still today.

Down through the years

my sons ask the same questions.

Learning our long history.

Wondering about their future.

The years pass, but the questions remain

_ What do we do? _ Asks a young boy holding a wooden sword.

We protect the people of Arnor, although Arnor is no more.

Although the capital and all our cities are in ruins.

This is the duty of the King.

They are farmers, crafters, villagers. Not soldiers.

One day, you too will go out and join this duty.

The duty we have taken on unasked.

We still protect, for the forces of Sauron are still there.

Down through the years

my sons ask the same questions.

Learning our long history.

Wondering about their future.

The years pass, but the questions remain

_ Why do we do it? _ My sons are older now,

Back from their first stints in the Wild.

Unthanked, feared and saddened.

I remind them of honor, of duty, of the future,

for we fight to maintain hope.

For the villagers, simple folk that they are.

One day, one day, hope will come again,

and the great evils will be defeated.

After that day, the ruins of our cities will be rebuilt.

This I tell you as I have been told.

Down through the years

my sons ask the same questions.

Learning our long history.

Wondering about their future.

The years pass, but the questions remain

Questions you will answer for your children too.


End file.
